Bridges Project Forum Begins Wednesday

by Rick Howlett on February 14, 2011

A two-day forum on how to proceed with the Ohio River Bridges Project will be held this week in Louisville.

Bi-state bridges authority co-chair Kerry Stemler says more than 700 people are registered for the conference, including representatives from engineering and construction firms, government leaders and financial institutions.

“And start thinking about how we can deliver the most cost-effective project, knowing that a greater understanding of the six sections, industry input is valuable; to develop how we can do the project faster, better, cheaper,” he said.

The price tag for the project stands at $4.1 billion, but the governors of Kentucky and Indiana and Mayor Greg Fischer have proposed a scaled back plan they say would save $500 million.

All three will speak at the forum, which begins Wednesday at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

Participants are also likely to hear from people opposed to various elements of the project, including those who want it broken up into smaller parts, and those opposed to tolls as a way to pay for it.

Comments Closed

START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN DELIVER THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE PROJECT…

Really? Seriously?!?

If you truly cared, you’d start by listening to the public. The KY Transportation Cabinet has already said that an east-end bridge/bypass alone will solve 95%+ of our traffic congestion problems so why do we have to spend another $3 billion we don’t have for yet another downtown bridge we don’t need? .

Save the $3 Billion dollars allotted for downtown and we don’t have to have tolls, more air pollution and more elevated interstate across the waterfront.

Or if you MUST spend an extra $3 billion we don’t have, spend it on something useful for our citizens. I.e. a light rail system, a public transit upgrade, tuition for students… almost anything else would increase the quality of life here more than this monstrosity of a road project that has gotten completely out of hand.

The powers that be have no interest in listening to the public, not on this or any other project that concerns our city. This whole monstrosity is being shoved down our throats and very few are happy about it, save for those who will profit off of it. Please, stop this madness before it’s too late.